The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-09-08
A NOTED MONTANA CHASM,
THn MOUNTAIN HOME OF A GU
RIoUS LITTLE ANIMAL.
A Great Cleft Supposed to be Rich
In Trcasure-The "Fleck o. Gold"
Found There.

A Great Cleft Supposed to be Rich
In Treasure-The "FleclS o. Gold"
Found There.
One of the most prominent objects in
this region of mighty landmarks ii the
DEVILS Bite, says letter from Leauder,
Montana, to the New York Mail and Er-
press. This is huge chasm which
cleaves in twain the great Wind Noun
tain range at its highest point. The
chasm itself is in plain view from the
streets of Leander, but in the clearest
weather the keenest eye cannot penetrate
its dark and yawning depths. Aside
from its commanding position as a land
mark, the Devils Bite is famous on two
accounts. One is that it gives birth to
mighty mountain waters and the other
that within its recesses tradition has To-
Gated the richest gold deposits of the re"
gion.
The waters sent forth by the DEVILS
Bite are those of the Papoagie and Big
Sandy, the first one of the strongest afllu-
ents of the noble Wind River, and this
second principal tributary of the Sweet
water a mighty arm of the great Platte.
The chasm of the DEVILS Bite is several
miles in length, and within its recesscs
are piled large masses of perennial snow
and ice. Lower down are other snow
and ice deposits, renewed every season,
and from these spring the sources of the
Papoagie and the Big Sandy.
The chasm is dotted with the yawning
shafts of long disused mines. These
mines were worked at period so remote
that even tradition has no information as
to the time or the workers. The Devils
Bite and vicinity is one huge iron out
crop. With the exception of notable
discovery lately made at Miners Delight,
the great gold-bearing iron belt from
which so many of the richest mines of
Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado are
carved, has never shown up in this
region. Therefore the deduction is
drawn that in the chasm of the Devils
Bite this great and rich gold bearing iron
belt has risen to the surface, and that
there will be found the most extensive
| md valuable mines of the Northwest.
There is found in the chasm of the
DEVILS Bite, and there alone, a curious
little animal which is generally known as
the fleck o. gold, though it also rejoices
in the equally glittering names of the
golden guide and the golden gopher
The little fellow undoubtedly belongs to
the gopher tribe. The fleck O. gold is of
general golden hue This hue repre-
sents the various shades of gold from the
duller colors of the precious metal in its
native state to the brilliancy given by the
stamp of the mint. The duller hues are
blended on the body, while the brighter
J one spreads itself along the tail. This
tail is the glory of the feck O. gold, and
the wonder of the beholder. Fifteen
inches in length, or more than three
times as long as the little animal of which
it is such dazzling continuation, this
tail is as the glance of gold. 1t is in
stinct with action, an action which has
no apparent purpose but that of display,
and jerks and writhes, curls and twists
with the swiftness and lightness of asun
ray. The fleck O. gold is vainglorieus
concerning this tail, and when for his
own edifcation he folds it many times
around his body, transforming himself
into ball of FURNISHED bullion, the
brilliant exhibition pleads hard in ex-
tenuation of the little fellows vanity.
The fleck O. god digs deep, and his
burrow is regarded as an unfailing indi-
cation of the presence of gold. AS a
matter of course, many and diverse spec
ulations are extant in regard to the origin
Of this singular and brilliant little ami
NAL. The theory most advanced and be-
lieved in is that the fieck O. gold was at
first but common gopher, but that the
constant contact with the golden soil in
which he burrowed so fecked his coat
with the precious yellow particles that
Nature herself at last took cognizance
of the matter and the golden coat was
made hereditary. The extraordinary
length of the tail is accounted for by the
supposition that it is sympathetic
growth, designed especially by nature
as brilliant advertising vehicle of the
hidden riches of the Devils Bite.